


What the Water Gave Me

by AmaranthPrincess21



Category: Free!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-07
Updated: 2015-08-07
Packaged: 2018-04-13 10:15:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,640
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4518021
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AmaranthPrincess21/pseuds/AmaranthPrincess21
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Every year one woman is chosen to be sacrificed to the local deity Nanase in return for food and rain, but he's made his displeasure clear. Tensions are running high and two days before your wedding, you are chosen as the sacrifice.</p>
            </blockquote>





	What the Water Gave Me

**Author's Note:**

> This is a complete fantasy AU, nothing is based off of real mythology.

~~During the summer solstice, we will give thanks to our benevolent god Nanase who watches over us and gives us bountiful sea harvests and the rain that nourishes our crops. For one week we will honor his name and have sacred festivities to celebrate his kindness and generosity. At the end of the week, we will sacrifice one hundred mackerels to thank him and give him nourishment, as he has been kind enough to feed us, it is only fitting we feed him.~~

 

During the summer solstice, we will give thanks to our charitable god Nanase who watches over us and gives us fish to eat and some crops to supplement our meals with. For two weeks we will honor his name and have sacred festivities to celebrate his mercy and beg for prosperity. At the end of the two weeks, we will sacrifice one woman to thank him for the small miracles he graces us with and to provide him with a loving wife, as he has been merciful enough to keep our families together, it is only fitting we give him someone that can cook his meals, keep his island home clean, and bear his children.

 

  
  


So read the sacred text displayed in front of a temple dedicated to the local deity, Nanase. It was a sight you passed every day on your way to the ocean. In fact, since the temple was center of the village, everyone passed by it a good five times per day. It served as a reminder that long ago, your people had been prosperous. Crops were numerous and bountiful. Fisherman brought home several kinds of fish. There was no such thing as famine and there was no such thing as drought. And every year, your village had thanked Nanase for his generosity. 

You weren’t sure exactly what had happened. No one in the village would talk about why the fish went away and the rain stopped coming as often. A few whispers blamed a corrupt village elder who decided a woman would be a better sacrifice than fish, leading to the decline in food. Some said it was the lack of crops that made people hesitant to sacrifice mackerel when they could eat it themselves and get rid of someone. No one was sure what came first, the change in sacrifice or the famine. But for whatever reason, your village changed the sacrifice from fish to young women and so far, there had been thirty women designated as sacrifices and thirty women who washed up on shore. Only about five of them survived but the message was clear: Nanase didn’t want women. 

You furrowed your brow as the sacred text caught your eye. _We should just go back to sacrificing mackerel._ _Surely the reward in the end will be better than leaving people hungry for a few days,_ you thought, making your way down to the ocean. It was midnight and your fellow villagers were inside their homes sleeping. But not you. There was someone you needed to see tonight, especially after what had happened earlier.

Crickets chirped, unseen as they hid in grass and a breeze danced through the air, shaking trees. The moon was full of bright light to guide you on your secret journey. If your parents found out you had been sneaking out, they’d kill you. As a noble, you weren’t supposed to be out this late when spirits roamed the earth and kidnapped whoever struck their fancy. But this risk was worth taking because in the end, you got to swim and see the boy you’d fallen madly in love with.

The ocean roared as it ebbed and flowed. You slipped your shoes and cloak off, placing them on a rock for safe keeping before walking into the water. There was a small cave where you and your lover met like every night. It was an easy swim and it was secluded, making it a prime meeting spot. 

The cave was filled with candles, all set carefully into the sand and the rocks that jutted out. They were always lit before you came and you figured your lover was the one to light them. Haru always arrived before you did, bobbing in the water as he waited. You always got a good look at him and even a year after your first meeting, you still loved to admire him. He was so beautiful. Soft skin, hair as black as a moonless night, eyes as blue as ocean and as bright was stars, a gentle demeanor worthy of a newborn kitten. Ever since you met him right after last year’s sacred festivities, you’d been inseparable. 

“Haru,” you called his name softly, but he seemed to take note of your presence before you even spoke, turning around before you’d said anything. He swam over to you, fingers reaching out and intertwining with yours. His skin was warm and soft. The feel of him and his presence sent a soft wave of serenity through you. Any nerves you had felt on the way to the cave were gone. 

“Is everything all right? You were late tonight,” he asked tenderly, thumb rubbing your skin soothingly.

“I guess. Physically I’m fine,” you said. “But I have some bad news.” 

“What is it?”

“My parents have moved up my wedding date. I’m going to get married the day after the sacred festivities end,” you informed him. Silence filled the cave as Haru said nothing, just staring at your face as if it had something written on it. Taking the opportunity, you pulled him close. He rested his head on your shoulder immediately as if it were a basic instinct. Warmth radiated from him body and in the chilly water, it was a welcome temperature change.

“Not if I can help it,” he murmured, lips tickling your neck.

“What?”

“Once the ceremonies are over, come back home with me,” he told you. “They’ll never find us where I live and we’ll get married when we’re ready.” 

“Are . . . are you asking me to elope with you?” you questioned, feeling elation bubble in your stomach.

“Yes.” You beamed at him and leaned in for a kiss. Ecstatic wouldn’t even begin to describe how happy and excited you felt. The idea of marrying Haru had always been a lofty one, due to the circumstances at home, but with his words you knew it was going to happen. You were going to marry Haru. 

“After the sacrifice, two nights from now, I’ll meet you right here and we’ll run away together,” you said. “I love you, Haru.”

“I love you too.”  

  
  


It was raining the next morning and to say everyone in the village was thrilled was an understatement. Children were running around, shrieking in delight. Baskets, bowls, pots, and pans were out collecting rain water. Several people were praying outside their homes. You stood by your window, appreciating the rain and letting it drip onto your exposed arms. Haru always acted offended when you said it, but you really did love the rain more than the ocean (but not by a lot). “Thank you, Nanase,” you said quietly as you looked out your window. You got dressed, ready to give him a small offering when the door to your bedroom burst open and there stood your fiancé, breathless and excited.

“Have you seen the rain?!” Rin asked, grabbing your hands and pulling you outside.

“Yes, I’ve seen it!” you told him excitedly. The warm rain felt like heaven on your skin as you ran amongst the children, laughing and twirling. This was going to help the crops so much. Maybe you’d have a decent harvest from your small personal garden! The dirt streets were beyond muddy, your bare feet sticking in the gunk as you and Rin ran side by side. A shallow pond that had been half full yesterday was now fairly close to being filled. 

“Wow, we’ve had a lot of rain! Just look at this!” you told him excitedly, grabbing his arm and stopping him. A mischievous look lit up Rin’s face as he stared at you straight in the eye. “Oh no, what are you -?” Fast as lightning, his arms wrapped around you and he threw you both into the pond. You shrieked loudly and he laughed. “You jerk!” you screamed at him, splashing him.

“Don’t splash me!” he yelled, splashing you back. The two of you were like children, playing in the pond and making it a priority to get the other as wet and muddy as possible. But then again, you and Rin had been childhood friends, so this kind of behavior, although you were both sixteen, was rather normal. When you two were together, you were all childish smiles and antics, and maybe that’s why your parents had betrothed you to him when you were both ten years old. It was clear that even if you weren’t in love, a marriage between you two would still be very enjoyable. 

You didn’t love Rin romantically and he didn’t love you that way either. But he was your closest friend and before you met Haru, you knew you’d enjoy being married to Rin simply because it meant you would get to have constant sleepovers and be able to spend time together all day every day. Now that Haru was in the picture, although you still didn’t mind the idea of marrying Rin, you weren’t as keen about it as you had been when you were a kid. 

The tolling of bells in the distance alerted the two of you to the impeding Choosing Ceremony. _Man, already? We were having so much fun._

“Rin, we should get going. The Choosing Ceremony will start soon and we should probably run home and get some nice, fresh clothes on.” He pouted ever so slightly, standing up.

“Why should we bother putting on nice clothes?” he asked, helping you out of the puddle. “This whole ceremony’s just a big sham.”

“Rin!” you scolded him. _If someone heard him say that . . ._

“What, like you don’t think that’s what this is!” he said heatedly. “We’re killing people in the name of a benevolent god and it’s not wonder he’s stopped being so generous with food and water. When I’m the religious leader I’m stopping these sacrifices and we’re going back to the old way of revering Nanase.” 

“I just wish that would come sooner,” you sighed. You grabbed his hand and started pulling him towards the temple.

“At least once we’re married I’ll have more of an influence on the village. No more officiating weddings; I’ll be able to have a say with the other sacred leaders,” he pointed out. “It’s not complete control but maybe we can work together and start getting Iwatobi back on the right track.” He squeezed your hand. “I still can’t believe we’re getting married in three days”

“Yeah,” you breathed. “Rin, I have some news to tell you.” He said nothing, only giving you a quizzical look. You pulled him behind the temple, looking around to double check that you two were completely alone. Absolutely _no one_ but him could hear this. “Remember Haru?”

“Of course I remember him. He’s not someone you’d forget easily,” he said.

“We met last night and once the sacred festivities are done, we’re going to elope,” you told him quietly. Part of you had been worried that he’d be upset; you knew that although he was nervous and had a few reservations, he was looking forward to marrying you. But there was no trace of sadness on his face as he beamed at you. 

“I’m so happy for you!” he cried, picking you up and spinning around briefly. “Haru is a very lucky guy. But promise me you’ll keep in touch with me somehow.”

“I wouldn’t dream of losing contact with you,” you told him sincerely, giving him a hug. “I -” The tolling of bells cut you off. Wordlessly, Rin pulled you away to the entrance of the temple and the two of you found your families to sit with.

“Where have you been? And why are you soaked and covered with mud?” your mother demanded as you sat next to her.

“We had a detour on the way here,” you replied. Your mother sighed in exasperation and put her shawl around your shoulders. 

“You’re too old for this kind of behavior. You _both_ are,” she added, giving Rin a disappointed look. He gave her an embarrassed grin. 

“It’s raining. It’s a cause to celebrate,” was all he said. The village elders were quick to walk onto the dais of the temple, your father and Rin’s leading the short procession. And it took them absolutely no time to start the ceremony. 

“We have spoken amongst ourselves and consulted Nanase about who will do the honor of taking the place of his beloved mackerel in tomorrow’s final ceremony,” your father announced to the village 

“That’s a lie,” Rin whispered, hot breath ticking your ear. “They don’t consult Nanase at all. I’ve sat in on these meetings and they don’t talk to him at all.” 

“Tomorrow we will give Nanase a potential bride and we all have high hopes he will accept her into his heart. Our choice has come with devastating consequences and much heartbreak. Given Nanase has been so generous to us all of these years and because of his heavenly status, we’ve realized our past errors in choosing his brides is not picking someone of noble blood and who loves water as much as he does. That being said, we don’t have many young noblewomen in our village. But ultimately this will be for the good of our village, no matter how much hurt it might cause. Tomorrow we will offer [First] to Nanase as his bride.” It felt like everything had stopped. Your body seized up, frozen in fear as you registered what this meant. You would not be able to run away with Haru. You would be dead by tomorrow night. 

_“WHAT?!”_ Before you could stop him, Rin was on his feet and giving the elders a look so vicious it could easily kill. “You can’t sacrifice her! She’s my fiancée!” 

“I’m sure you’re crushed by the loss, but this is for the good of the village,” a village elder told him. 

“If we’re really concerned about the good of the village, why don’t we go back to sacrificing mackerel?” Rin demanded. “Has no one noticed that once we started sacrificing people that the rain has become less frequent and our fish population has significantly dropped? If you really want the village to flourish, why don’t you give Nanase fish because that’s clearly what he wants! And once he gets what he wants he’s going to give us food so don’t even think about telling me that we’re needlessly taking food out of people’s mouths, because we all know if we give him what he really wants he’s going to give us what we need.” 

“We understand you’re upset about your future wife being offered to Nanase but if you say one more we will have to ask you to leave,” your father said grimly. 

“Fuck it, I’m not dealing with this bullshit,” he said, heading towards the door. _I . . . Shit, I need to get word to Haru. I’ll be under lock and key tonight._

“Rin,” you called out to him. He stopped. “Stay. Please. But if you’re not going to, go do something useful to get your mind off of this.” You hoped he would understand what you really meant. He nodded, and your hopes were up.

“Fine,” he said and he left the ceremony.

  
  


The rain had let up after the ceremony had ended but the next afternoon it was back in full swing. The quiet pitter-patter somewhat soothed your frayed nerves as you prepared for the sacrifice. You were well-aware that your eyes were red and puffy. You loved the water and it seemed cruel to be killed by something you loved. And not to mention on the night you would have eloped with Haru. But then again, it seemed like this sacrifice was done to cause everyone pain. It was village tradition that brides and grooms helped the other dress for their wedding and the village elders decided that since Rin was no longer going to marry you and it was their fault, the least they could do was do one last act as an intended groom and help you dress for the sacrifice. 

“What did Haru say?” you asked him.

“He didn’t say much, but then again he’s not much of a speaker,” Rin said as he laced up the back of your dress. “He said he would try and do something. He wouldn’t tell me what, but he said he was going to try and intervene.”

“How could he possibly intervene? He doesn’t live here,” you pointed out. 

“I don’t know, but he said he’d do something,” Rin said. “I . . . I wouldn’t count on him at this point.” You nodded, holding back tears. “I wish I could have seen you marry him. Or even me. This isn’t fair and I wish they would kill someone else instead.” 

“There’s no point in thinking about what could have happened. Right now I just need to focus on smuggling in our sacrifice,” you said, jerking your head to the small bag sitting in the corner of your bedroom. Every year the sacrifice was allowed to bring a bag with them containing whatever they desired, kind of like how a bride would bring her things to her husband’s home. Your bag was full of mackerel, supplied and prepared in the old ceremonial way by Rin, and the plan was to sacrifice the fish in hopes of properly revering Nanase. 

“They’re not going to check it,” Rin assured you. “Everything will be fine. You remember the prayer I taught you, right?”

“Right.” You bit your lip. “Rin, I’m going to miss you. I -”

“Don’t say it.” His voice is barely above the whisper. “Don’t. This isn’t goodbye, you hear me? It’s not.” You let out a sob, unable to keep it back. He was clearly fighting off tears as well. Rin grabbed your hands and kissed your forehead.

“If we don’t soon, we’re going to be late and you know them.”  

  
  


The rain got heavier as the procession, the raindrops feeling like pebbles as they hit your body. Your dress was soaking up and the water and pulling it down, the hem dragging in the mud. A net of rocks and a shawl with several stones sewn into it adorned your body. The entire village walked behind you to the beach, the sacred leader already starting him prayer. You closed your eyes, letting the warm rain run across your skin. At least you had this small comfort. 

The sand was damp and cool as you walked across it, heading straight towards the ocean. It’s just a regular swim, you tried to tell yourself. It’s a regular swim. You tried to visual Haru walking beside you, his hand in yours and pulling you to the water. The thought calmed you.

“Come on, you’re holding me back,” imaginary Haru said. “We need to start swimming now if we’re going to make it to my home before dark.” That’s actually how you met him, although it was more like you swam too close to a sacred island and he cut you off, swimming back to your home with you. He was a kindred spirit and the way he swam captivated your heart long before his kindness did. 

“Here, we say goodbye to the little girl we’ve cherished for so many years as she goes onto the next big stage in her life: marriage,” the sacred leader was saying. You walked out towards the heart of the ocean, dress getting heavier as it soaked up salt water. The waves pushed and pulled at your skirt, making it sway to the rhythm of nature.. Hands digging into your purse and ears ignoring the sacred leader, you started to recite the prayer Rin had taught you that morning.

“Nanase, for every rainfall you have given us, we give you a filet,” you said, pulling some mackerel out of your bag and putting it in the water. It sunk immediately. “You have been gracious enough to care for us, so we will happily return the favor. We thank you for the rain you have given us and the fish you have herded our way. No god is kinder than you and we wish to give back to you as our way of thanking an revering you.” The water was waist-deep and the ocean was pulling and gripping your skirt like a small child trying to get their mother’s attention. It was a familiar feeling, taking you back to nights where you and Haru swam until the sun came up. It was comforting. You placed the last of the mackerel into the ocean, watching it sink.

“Nanase, I’m sorry I don’t have any more.” Rin would have freaked out if he heard you going off script, but now that was hardly a concern. Right now, all you cared about was settling peace with the deity. “It’s all I and my friend could smuggle out. He is working to stop the women sacrifices and go back to mackerel sacrifices. Please, accept what we’ve brought to you and my word that we will return to the old way of revering you.” The water was up to your chest and if it weren’t the rocks sewn into your clothing, you wouldn’t have been able to walk on the sandy floor.  It felt like hands were rubbing your body, invisible fingertips stroking your legs and waist. _You’re in water. It’s going to be okay. You’re just going for a swim with Haru._

“I’m sorry we’ve done a great disservice in the change and I know my words are nothing to you, but please, give Iwatobi a chance to clean up their act. I know it is too much to ask of you, but I beg you, we need more rain. We need more fish and we need our crops to flourish.” The water reached your neck. “I’m nothing compared to mackerel but please, Nanase, I beg of you to help Iwatobi prosper!”

With one last gulp of air, your head went under. The water was clear and blue and in that moment you realize that although drowning was a horrific way to die, the suffocation was all you were afraid of. There had been too many wonderful moments in the ocean for it to scare you. You and Rin cut your betrothal ceremony short to swim together, you made friends swimming here, you met Haru in the open ocean and you continued to meet him in the ocean. _Haru._ Closing your eyes, you recalled the feeling of his hands in yours, the way his body felt when he embraced you, his beautiful blue eyes. Not being able to marry him was your largest regret. Even though your lungs were screaming for air and burning  like an inferno, as long as you had water and the thought of Haru, dying wasn’t going to be too bad.  

“Open your eyes,” a familiar voice called out. _Huh?_ You cracked open one of your eyes. Haru was floating in the water in front of you, hands reaching out to you. _What . . . am I hallucinating?_ “Breath, [First],” he instructed you. His hands cupped your face, forehead resting against yours. “Just trust me.” You had no idea if Haru was real or not. There was the possibility the lack of oxygen was already getting to you. But even if this was a hallucination and you died, at least you had something like Haru with you. You took a deep breath and you could feel the water crawling into your body. The quietest murmurs came from Haru as his hands untied the net of rocks that hung around your skirt. You kept breathing in water and you could feel the water pouring into your body, but it didn’t feel like it was filling your lungs like it should. It just an unpleasant feeling, but it didn’t feel deadly. Haru stripped you of the rock-studded shawl and pulled away from you, a small smile on his face. 

“Am I dead?” you asked. “Wait, how am I talking?! Or breathing? I have to be dead. I’m dead and this must be my heaven.” 

“You’re not dead. _Technically,”_ Haru corrected himself. “I’ve just given you some powers that’ll make breathing underwater possible. Not to mention more endurance. You don’t have an excuse to lag behind me when we swim anymore.” _Wait, what?!_ Seeing the quizzical look on his face, he gave you a stern look. “Didn’t you think it was weird how I never left the water?”

“I just thought you really liked water or were insecure about your legs.”

“Well you’re not wrong. I love water. It’s the element I control, so it’d be weird if I didn’t like it.” He caught your confused gaze. “I’m not human. I’m a god. I’m Nanase.”  

  
  


“With heaven’s approval and protection, I’m happy to announce that your marriage is official. You are now husband and wife.” You beamed at Haru, squeezing his hands tight. The summer rain mingled with the tears rolling down your face. Your new husband gave you a warm smile before he went in to kiss you. He seemed to breathe into you, his breath mingling with yours. It seemed fitting, you were starting a new chapter in your life and he seemed to breathing life into it. And it seemed extra fitting that since you had met him in the open ocean, you were married there. Although you weren’t sure if Haru was only bound to water or if he was just stubborn about staying there. _I’ll find out soon enough, I guess._

“I’m not going to lie, I’m a little jealous. Nanase, you just got the perfect wife,” Rin told him with a small smile. “Just watch out. She plays dirty when it comes to swimming.”

“I do not!” you defended yourself. Haru chuckled and kissed your temple. 

“He’s right. You cheat,” he said. You choked, giving him an incredulous look.

“I don’t cheat when I swim! How do you even do that?” you asked. Haru grinned and gave you another kiss before turning to Rin. 

“Thank  you again for marrying us,” he said.

“It’s the least I could do for my best friend and her soul mate,” Rin replied with a shrug. “Not to mention you’re the guy I’ve basically dedicated my life to.”

“Speaking of, work on stopping the human sacrifice. I hate it,” Haru said.

“I’ve been trying for years to, but they don’t listen to me,” Rin replied. 

“Then maybe we need to make an appearance tomorrow.” Haru glanced at you. “Would you act as my mouthpiece?”

“Of course. I want to scare those idiots,” you said.

“That’s not the point -” You chuckled and kissed his cheek, murmuring apologies. 

“I’ll see you two tomorrow then,” Rin said, giving the two of you a big hug. “Take good care of her, Nanase.” 

“I’ll try,” Haru told him as Rin swam off towards the shore, wincing when you elbowed him in the ribs. “I was kidding.” You playfully rolled your eyes. 

“Sure you were.” He sighed and grabbed your waist. 

“If you keep up this attitude I’ll stop the rain,” he teased you. Giggling, you leaned into him and kissed him for what had to be the fiftieth time that night. 

“Like you would get rid of the rain for that. You love kissing me in the rain too much to do that,” you said. He grinned.

“That’s true.” 


End file.
